Sandra McNally

@sandramcnally.bsky.social

1.3K followers 240 following 4 posts

Professor of Economics, University of Surrey. Director of Education and Skills Programme, Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics.

Videos

Education 73%

Political science 10%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Sandra McNally

LSE Blogs @lseblogs.bsky.social · 2d

Chiara Cavaglia and @sandramcnally.bsky.social @cep-lse.bsky.social analyse how the Great Recession influenced the education young people in Britain chose and what that has meant for their careers @lsebr.bsky.social.

How the Great Recession affected millennial education and careers - LSE Business Review

How much impact do the educational choices young people make have on their future careers? And how do those choices change during a downturn?

blogs.lse.ac.uk

Reposted by Sandra McNally

UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies @clscohorts.bsky.social · 4d

We are delighted to announce that Professor @emlafitzsimons.bsky.social is to be the new director of the Centre for Longitudinal Studies from Monday, 1 December 2025. Prof Fitzsimons has been director of the groundbreaking Millennium Cohort Study since joining CLS in 2014. Read more: bit.ly/3Lvhjtp

Professor Emla Fitzsimons in front of shelves of books

Reposted by Sandra McNally

Centre for Economic Performance @cep-lse.bsky.social · Oct 7

CALL FOR PAPERS: submissions now open for 2025's CEP education conference (29-30 May) - focusing on the economics of education and skills by exploring student choice, tracking, and inequality. Deadline 31 january.

More details: cep.lse.ac.uk/_new/E...

Reposted by Sandra McNally

Centre for Economic Performance @cep-lse.bsky.social · Jan 27

Call for papers extended 🚨
Education submissions extended until 24:00 (GMT) on Monday, 10 February, and we've secured a limited budget available to support travel costs for junior researchers. 🛫

For details, visit ow.ly/R3Lh50UNBke

Reposted by Sandra McNally

The JHR @j-humanresources.bsky.social · Jul 22

Does timing matter for hybrid education models? Using an IV based on cohort & distance to school, Stephen Machin, @sandramcnally.bsky.social, ‪‪‪@camilleterrier.bsky.social and Guglielmo Ventura estimate effects of #UniversityTechnicalColleges.
doi.org/10.3368/jhr....

Closing the Gap Between Vocational and General Education?
Evidence from University Technical Colleges in England
Stephen Machin, Sandra McNally, Camille Terrier and Guglielmo Ventura
Vocational education delivery is widely debated, with ongoing efforts to improve its effectiveness. In 2010, England introduced University Technical Colleges (UTCs), hybrid institutions combining general and vocational education. This paper examines the impact of UTC attendance on achievement, university enrolment, and labour market outcomes. For students entering UTCs at the unconventional age 14, enrolment lowers academic achievement at age 16. However, for those entering at the conventional age 16, UTCs improve vocational achievement, enrolment in STEM degrees, and labour market outcomes. Findings highlight the risks of early specialisation and benefits of aligning education with students’ interests at a suitable stage.

Reposted by Sandra McNally

Centre for Economic Performance @cep-lse.bsky.social · Jul 22

Out today! Local health and social contact rules during the pandemic led to more absence among disadvantaged pupils than others.

@sandramcnally.bsky.social , Stephen Gibbons and Piero Montebruno

@nuffieldfoundation.org‬

Read: cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/d...

Reposted by Sandra McNally

Centre for Economic Performance @cep-lse.bsky.social · Jul 21

"A coherent industrial strategy cannot rest on a higher education system in retreat." @sandramcnally.bsky.social and @aadyabahl.bsky.social on the need to solve the contradictions at the heart of current policymaking.

blogs.lse.ac.uk/poli...

Universities are engines of growth and must be backed by policy - British Politics and Policy at LSE

The Industrial Strategy identifies growth-driving sectors that will require a highly-skilled workforce. But the Government's immigration policy is destabilising the sector.

blogs.lse.ac.uk

Reposted by Sandra McNally

Reposted by Sandra McNally, Marcos Vera‐Hernández

Centre for Economic Performance @cep-lse.bsky.social · Jul 18

📢 Pre-doc RA position at LSE’s Centre for Economic Performance! Join the Education & Skills programme led by Prof Sandra McNally. Work with large UK education datasets (e.g. NPD, LEO). Strong Stata skills & interest in policy a must. Apply by Aug 24 👉 ow.ly/bpN450WrLq4

Reposted by Henry G. Overman, Sandra McNally

Centre for Economic Performance @cep-lse.bsky.social · Jun 17

Next week: Prof Mary O’Mahony and Prof Chris Pissarides discuss the future of work and wellbeing.
Chair: Stephen Machin

📅 Wed 25 June
⏲️ 6.30pm

In-person: no ticket required, first come first served basis.
Online: register ⬇️

www.lse.ac.uk/Events...

Skills in the age of AI

6.30pm Wed 25 June | Mary O'Mahony, Christopher Pissarides | Free public event at LSE

www.lse.ac.uk

Reposted by Sandra McNally

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · Jun 4

UK skills policy over the long-term has failed to drive economic productivity. There has been a decline in employer investment in training & ongoing issues with managerial underutilisation of employees’ existing skills. This paper sets out what can be done
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/publications...

A joined-up approach to UK skills policy

The UK requires a joined-up approach to skills policy that considers the needs of learners, workers and businesses, is adaptable to changes in technology and the economy, and is flexible to local need...

www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk

Reposted by Anna Vignoles, Sandra McNally, Neil Lee

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · Jun 4

OK so we've just published a whole bunch of papers on how the UK should be thinking about economic strategy. The main argument is that we should think about our deep assets and invest in those comparative advantages. Here's a synthesis paper www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/publications...

The British Academy’s Economic Strategy Programme

A summary of the main policy insights and conclusions from each Working Group’s discussion paper, with commentary on a cross-cutting thread that ties them together: how to invest for investment.

www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk

Reposted by Anna Vignoles, Kate E. Pickett, Sandra McNally , and 2 more Anna Vignoles, Kate E. Pickett, Sandra McNally, Lindsey Macmillan, Meredith A. Crowley

The British Academy @britishacademy.bsky.social · Jun 3

"In a geopolitically uncertain world and after more than a decade of low productivity growth, the UK needs to rethink its economic strategy." Today, we're publishing a collection of expert policy insights ahead of the multi-year Spending Review conclusion: buff.ly/DAlcNo5

buff.ly

Reposted by Sandra McNally

National Institute of Economic and Social Research @niesrorg.bsky.social · Mar 3

NEW BLOG 💥✍ @lsepoliticsblog.bsky.social

In today's #MondayInterview, NIESR Governor @sandramcnally.bsky.social, LSE's Stephen Gibbons and @cep-lse.bsky.social's Piero Montebruno explain why absence rates will stay high until the #COVID_19 generation leaves school 🚸⬇
niesr.ac.uk/blog/impact-...

The Impact of Covid-19 on School Absences - NIESR

Pupil absence in secondary schools is likely to remain above pre-pandemic levels, at least until those who began secondary school during the pandemic have left school. In this blog Carol Vincent, Asso...

niesr.ac.uk

Reposted by Sandra McNally

Centre for Economic Performance @cep-lse.bsky.social · Feb 26

To support increased productivity, helping children growing up in deprivation do better is an obvious target, but not enough. Social skills are also increasingly important for job success.

By @Richardblundell.bsky.social Rachel Griffith & @SandraMcNally.bsky.social

acss.org.uk/policies...

Reposted by Sandra McNally

What Works Growth @whatworksgrowth.bsky.social · Feb 11

It’s #NationalApprenticeshipWeek - Here’s what we know about ‘what works’ in apprenticeships:

1️⃣ Apprenticeships decrease unemployment post-programme, have a positive effect on later employment, and are more likely to increase employment than training that isn’t in-firm.

1/6 👇

Reposted by Sandra McNally

Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · Feb 11

DfE has now confirmed it will axe English and maths FSQ exit requirements for adult apprentices with immediate effect

Ministers also reveal the apprenticeship minimum duration will be reduced from 12 to 8 months from next AY #NAW2025 feweek.co.uk/english-and-...